Composite bomb



March 16, 1965 B. M. BATTAGLINI 7 3,

COMPOSITE BOMB Filed May 18, 1962 Bra/70 Ma Baffczg/ini,

INVENTOR BY Wm United States Patent @fifice 3,173,365 Patented Mar. 16, 1965 3,173,365 COMPOSITE BOMB Bruno M. Battaglini, 228 Ruggics Ave., Richmond Hill, Sntario, Canada Filed May 18, 1962, Ser. No. 195,688 2 Claims. (Cl. 102-14) The present invention has to do with bombs intended for military purposes, and especially to a bomb for aerial drop which will accomplish a maximum amount of destruction for given size and cost.

It has been proposed to increase the destructive effect of conventional bombs by causing them to explode at predetermined heights above the ground or above an installation. Various complicated, and hence costly and relatively unreliable, devices have been proposed to attain this end. The present invention achieves the desired result in a very simple and dependable manner, yet with accurate control of the bursting height of the master or main bomb.

In general, the invention provides a control or pilot bomb connected to the main or master bomb by a flexible cable having a core of fuse material. The pilot bomb is preferably of an incendiary type, aerodynamically designed so as to hold the connecting cable taut as the connected bombs fall; said pilot bomb is fused to explode on impact, igniting the fuse core of the cable and thereby nearly instantaneously igniting the detonator of the main bomb.

To allow the bursting height of the main bomb to be selected, the connecting cable of desired lengths is fitted with threaded end caps acting as detonators, and so arranged that they may readily be screwed into the bomb housings to arm the composite weapon. The pilot bomb has the usual impact fuse to detonate it on contact.

The invention will best be understood by referring now to the following detailed specification of a preferred embodiment, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical elevation of the composite bomb as it appears during free fall, with parts broken away for clarity.

FIGURE 2 is a View, partly in vertical section, of the preferred connecting cable, fuse core, and end detonator fittings of the invention.

Referring first to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, numeral designates the casing of the main or master bomb, preferably of cast steel or the like and carrying a main explosive charge 12 of amatol or the like, filled through cap or plug opening at 14. Fins for guidance are shown at 16. The detonator charge of this bomb is shown at 18, carried in protective plastic housing 20 secured to a threaded fitting 22 for screw connection with the bottom wall of casing 10.

Casing 10 being made of steel and shaped so as to present a substantial aerodynamic resistance in free fall, will tend to fall relatively slowly. It is connected by a flexible cable 24, as of woven or braided steel wires, to a pilot bomb 26 formed of lead or other heavy metal and shaped at nose 28 for relatively less aerodynamic resistance. An incendiary charge 39 is carried by bomb 26, arranged to be fired on contact by the usual percussion fuse 33. During fall, cable 24 is held taut at its extended, predetermined length.

Charge 30 is in firing communication with a detonator or fulminator 32 also enclosed in a protective plastic casing 34 secured to a threaded fitting 36 screwed into the upper end or top wall of bomb 26.

FIGURE 2 shows to a larger scale the construction of the fuse cable and fittings. Each fitting is swivelly connected to the cable end as by a freely rotatable spool 33 so that the fittings can be threaded into the respective bomb casings in flight (for example) without handling the bombs themselves. Spanner wrench holes 49 allow the fittings to be screwed home without difficulty. The braid of cable 24 is secured as by welding to each spool 38, the latter being apertured so that the fuse core 42, concen tricaliy within the braided cable, is in direct firing communication with the detonator or fulminator charge in each plastic casing.

The cable assemblies may be pre-assernbled with the desired lengths of cable fuse, for selective use as dictated by the targets to be destroyed. Cable lengths up to 150 feet or more are suitable for use against industrial targets or towns; a foot cable is effective against naval vessels, and shorter cables are indicated Where anti-personnel action is intended, or destruction of field pieces or installations.

While an incendiary bomb is preferred as a pilot bomb, the latter may also be of high explosive type, but the preferred combination has the advantage of very certain ignition of the fuse core in cable 24. Also, the relative aerodynamic characteristics desired make it difficult to provide efiicient use of a high explosive charge in the pilot bomb.

Although the invention has been described in detail by way of example, various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, which is limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A composite aerial drop bomb comprising a main high explosive bomb having a forward opening in communication with its explosive charge, a pilot incendiary bomb having a rearward opening in communication with its incendiary charge, a lengthy flexible cable containing a core of ignition fuse material, a housing detachably connected in the opening in each bomb, each housing containing a detonating charge, a fitting carried by each housing into which the ends of said flexible cable are connected so that the fuse material therein communicates with both of said detonating charges, said fittings being rotatably connected to the respective housings, said main bomb possessing a substantially higher degree of aerodynamic resistance than said pilot bomb to assure that the latter will lead said main bomb in falling toward the target, and a percussion fuse carried by and projecting from the leading end of said pilot bomb, said rotatable connections preventing the building up in said cable of any torque which might be communicated to either bomb to cause deviation thereof from its course.

2. A composite bomb according to claim 1, in which the openings in said bombs are threaded, said housings being threaded for screw connection with the respective openings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,343,557 Gay June 15, 1920 2,396,666 Larvick Mar. 19, 1946 2,791,178 Thompson May 7, 1957 2,987,951 Seavey et al June 13, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 220,324 Great Britain Sept. 3, 1925 385,595 Great Britain Mar. 25, 1931 

1. A COPOSITE AERIAL DROP BOMB COMPRISING A MAIN HIGH EXPLOSIVE BOMB HAVING A FORWARD OPENING IN COMMUNICATION WITH ITS EXPLOSIVE CHARGE, A PILOT INCENDIARY BOMB HAVING A REARWARD OPENING IN COMMUNICATIONS WITH ITS INCENDIARY CHARGE, A LENGTHY FLEXIBLE CABLE CONTAINING A CORE OF IGNITION FUSE MATERIAL, A HOUSING DETACHABLY CONNECTED IN THE OPENING IN EACH BOMB, EACH HOUSING CONTAINING A DETONATING CHARGE, A FITTING CARRIED BY EACH HOUSING INTO WHICH THE ENDS OF SAID FLEXIBLE CABLE ARE CONNECTED SO THAT THE FUSE MATERIAL THEREIN COMMUNICATES WITH BOTH OF SAID DETONATING CHARGES, SAID FITTINGS BEING 